


Arms Wide Open

by Seal_Potter



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Bottom Harry, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Hand Jobs, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, M/M, Oneshot, Top Severus Snape, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-09
Updated: 2020-01-09
Packaged: 2021-02-27 09:47:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22185091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Seal_Potter/pseuds/Seal_Potter
Summary: Hope never dies, even when everything has changed.
Relationships: Harry Potter/Severus Snape
Comments: 3
Kudos: 165





	Arms Wide Open

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters associated with the books/movies and I never have and never will make any money from the writing of this story. J.K. Rowling owns Copywrite to all her characters.
> 
> A/N~ So this was inspired by the song “Arms wide open” by Creed. Inspired, but not a songfic, I think….If it’s inspired, and does not include lyrics is that a songfic???

Emerald eyes stared up into dark obsidian, the frisson of fear was never gone in the presence of this great man. Forever disdain, forever regret, but there was always hope inside the fear. Hope that one day the fingers of fear will unfold into wide open arms of love. Harry Potter watched in fascinated horror as the dark man walked silently up the stairs in the Astronomy tower. He saw one of his greatest mentors beg Severus Snape to end his life. Harry saw the lines of weariness crease ice blue eyes. After all they had been through, Albus Dumbledore had finally given up. A measure of hurt crept inside Harry’s chest. He had his part to play in the farce that was his life. He could never truly live, never truly have any other purpose than to fight Voldemort. So he played his part, chased away the one thing he longed to hold on to. There was nothing left to do but go on, forward.

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Harry sent a silent spell, something he hoped would hold off death until he could truly be there. The stasis spell seemed to hold Severus’ stare in hollow immutability. Harry’s task yet to be filled, and he hoped that someone, anyone, would remember the man as he should be remembered.

*********************************************************************************************

When they say that life flashes before your eyes, that is only partially true. You have flashes, but not of your whole life. Just the important parts, the parts that matter. Severus Snape mattered. For so many reasons other than his loyalty and abilities. The man was the real savior, constantly stepping in the role of Harry’s defender. Glimpses of the man beneath the mask were hard to come by, but in the silence of the sick-room, an angel had appeared to Harry. The look when Lockhart could not fix his arm, it was gentle, kind even, but gone as swiftly as it had appeared. The whispers when Harry had passed out a time or two during Occlumency lessons, the subconscious was a beautiful thing. The darkness covered Harry’s conscious display of life flashes and he gave himself up to the inevitable.

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Harry left England shortly after the aftermath had been settled. He spent too many weeks in St. Mungos, telling his own secrets in whispers to a man that may never wake up. He spent days reading to the man, and the nights whispering his heart's inner workings. When he decided to leave, he left a note to be read if the darker man ever woke. Harry left his sanity and his hope that day and left the continent. He could not face things anymore, not the ghosts that haunted him or the demons that taunted him.

So three years after the final battle found a grown Harry Potter chopping logs for the fire in his cottage. He had chosen to settle in a place of peace and serenity on the outskirts of a little village in Canada. The chill in the air was not yet biting, but the change would come in a few hours when the sun dipped below the mountains. He moved to place another log on the warn stump when he felt the wards around his property shimmer and vibrate. It was not an attack, but a prodding, a sincere wish to gain entry. Harry carefully placed his ax on the ground and made his way to where his wards were being asked for entry. His breath flowed out of his lungs in a rush, and for a moment his heart stopped beating. He closed his mind, taking careful precautions that he had never paid attention to during his time with the man before him.

He walked confidently up to the ward boundary and traced a doorway with his wand. His hand was shaking, his heartbreaking at the look of rage that seemed to register on that face. Truth be told, he never expected to be found, never expected to see Severus Snape awake and very much alive.

*********************************************************************************************

When one is a spy for practically all of your existence, you see things. Things normal people dismiss without a second glance. You know how to access your mind for the peripherals that your normal memory does not catalog. Severus Snape had a lot of time to access those. During what most would consider a coma, a person’s mind is particularly active. His magic was seeming to keep him under to heal everything, but his mind was in a frantic whirl of information gathering. He listened to every conversation, every sound outside that he could hear. He was desperate for information he could not reach, and instead traveled through many of his memories. He was surprised to find a great many things about his perspective needed changing.

His whole life he was bitter; bitter about his parents, about school, about Lily, about Dumbledore's meddling, and one bloody Harry Potter. That infuriating boy had visited him many times. It was the only true activity his brain had, while he was completely helpless. The bloody brat read to him, potions journals no less. And there was the news, and late in the evenings, it was musings. The golden boy poured his soul out to him in the evenings. And then, it stopped. For almost a year, there was nothing but silence during the nights. Those were the loudest times, the times when he would plan what he would do when he woke.

The day he woke, he got the letter, the damned stupid letter. The letter that never said what he could read in between the lines. That letter that was supposed to placate an ailing Potions Master with words that would bring out the darkest side of him. But it was the things people missed, that he did not that led him to try. The meaning behind the words, the whispers in the dark of night, the hope… He could become a better man for hope. He could open his mind and his perspective and change.

He had finally managed to pinpoint the location of Harry’s magical signature with great precision. Now here he stood, staring at nothing, knowing he could not get through without being let in. He was angry at himself for not thinking this through… Once he finally found the location he just took off, he did not have a plan or even any idea what he would say IF Harry let him in. He was utterly surprised to see the outline of a door shimmer before him. He held his breath, while apprehension filled him, He wasn’t ready for this encounter.

*********************************************************************************************

“Professor.” Harry stated. He tried to keep his face blank, his voice bland. There was nothing he wanted more than to not scare off Professor Snape.

The potion professor’s face changed when Harry spoke, he noted the frown left the angular face and a more kind expression entered. Harry held his surprise. He ushered the man in, sealed the entrance, and moved towards the cabin.

“Tea?” Harry asked politely.

“Do you have hot chocolate?” Severus asked quietly shivering against the rising bite in the air.

Harry only nodded as he walked with his back to the man that had occupied his mind for more years than he cared to count.

“Sir…” Harry started. 

“Severus, Harry. We are beyond titles now don’t you think?” Severus interrupted.

Harry coughed as he placed two mugs next to his stove. He put the kettle on and sat down at his small breakfast table. Only it looked smaller now with Severus Snape sitting opposite him. The man looked intimidating as ever with his dark eyes, ink-black hair, but there was something, Harry had not seen before. The face was kinder, the lines around the eyes indicated Severus had smiled more.

Harry couldn’t do it yet, call him by name. So he settles for no names.

“When did you wake up?” Harry asked, his first of many questions that were thundering in his head, the loudest of all is  _ ‘why are you here’ _ .

“11 months, 10 days and 6 hours after you left,” Severus replied, waiting for the look. He was not disappointed. Harry’s face was an open book when he could not hold an emotion down. The rugged face before him fell open in shock. The eyes widened, nostrils flared and the mouth formed a rather attractive ‘o’.

Harry’s mouth went dry, how had Severus known when he left? He did not put that in the letter or even date it.

_ ‘WHY ARE YOU HERE?’ _ screamed unsaid in Harry’s mind, instead “How are you feeling?” was what came out.

Severus smiled then, the frustration evident in those green eyes. Though he watched shock replace the frustration.

“I have a story to tell if you have a few moments to spend with an old colleague.” Severus offered.

Harry only nodded, too besotted with the smile to even make use of real words. Something had happened, Severus Snape did not smile. A pang of jealousy came unbidden, wishing it was him who had put the smile there.

“When you entered Hogwarts, I swore up and down that you were going to be just like your father. That was how I could fuel the necessary hatred for you that was required of me. That and I was just a bitter old bastard already.” Harry made to say something but Severus just held his hand up, “Let me finish before you say anything please, Harry. For most of my life, I have had to play roles, and one of those roles was to be both your enemy and your protector. I played them well, sometimes too well in more ways than I would like to remember. I was never kind to you, except when you would never notice or catch on. Over time, your resemblance to your father died in my eyes. I can say that I noticed something changed that day in the Astronomy tower, as much as I do not like to recollect that day.” Severus stopped for a moment to take a sip of his hot cocoa that Harry had poured for him.

“I heard you, Harry.” Severus whispered, noting the rising eyebrow, “Every day you came, while I was helpless. I could hear everything with perfect clarity.” He inwardly smiled as he noted the blush that rushed Harry’s cheeks was redder than a Weasley.

“When you left I was angry, bored out of my mind, ready to be dropped off in the mental ward once I awoke. But I gave myself a mission. To remember. To remember you. I searched out every memory, every interaction and I studied you. I wanted to understand how you could sit for hours and read to me when you had hated me. Not once did I imagine the conclusion I would come to in the end.” Severus took another sip. Harry stayed silent.

“When I woke, they presented me with your letter. I read what you wrote and finally, I read what you couldn’t write. Harry…” Severus reached out and touched a cold hand, “I have turned over a new leaf, just me. I have opened my own shop, I work for myself. I have no one to answer to, no stress at work to make me ornery and a grump. I came to show you that I wanted to become a man you can truly appreciate, someone that you won’t have to run away from. Someone you can run to.”

He let his voice fall away softly and assessed the man in front of him. The hand did not pull away.

“I never asked you to change,” Harry whispered.

“I know.” Severus said, his eyes never wavering, “I wanted to be the man you deserved.”

Harry stood from the table and moved towards the window over the sink. He let his eyes fall to the ground, it was dirt and brown, and hard. The cold would be upon them soon and then the snow would blanket everything. Severus was warm, open and so much more. He was no longer like the hard ground, but fresh and new like the snow that was sure to come. Harry gripped the sink hard, trying hard to control his warring emotions of relief, hope, and lust. He nearly fell to the floor when two arms encircled his waist.

“Harry...I saw you, I could finally see you more clearly than any other person who knew you. And through all of that, I saw your strength that you pushed out while inside you were scared to death. I saw how many times you could have done well, but I never gave you the chance. I wanted to curse myself for all the things I never saw. I got 11 months of emptiness without you, but I gained something far more precious.” Severus felt Harry’s breathing coming in gulps, “I fell in love, while I was still unable to do anything about it...Harry...I wanted to be a better man, a softer man. For you.”

Harry did fall at that moment, and Severus caught him. His eyes burned with tears of happiness and grief for the wasted years. He turned his face into a dark shirt and let it all go. He was not belittled or judged, he was just loved in that moment.

“What now?” Harry asked sadly, wondering what Severus could be planning now.

“Now? Whatever you need.” Severus said before closing the distance between their lips.

Harry grasped on to the cloth in front of him. He melted into the kiss, letting the heat flood into his body. A thousand years would not be enough. He had waited and grieved for so long, his heart had stayed a steady ache inside his chest. And now, one kiss swept him away on a sea of unrealized hopes and dreams that were now within his grasp. His hands clenched and unclenched, and his face luxuriated in the touches of Severus.

Severus let his tears of joy mingle with Harry’s as he kissed the brunette. He had dreamed of this moment, but he had never believed that this would be his lot in life. He let his tongue tease and dance with Harry’s. He finally gave in to his desires to trace the soft cheeks, and the harsh jawline littered with stubble. Harry’s moans brought him back to reality, and he broke the kiss gently. 

“I want everything, Harry… a life, a love, a family… my heart for yours... “ Severus whispered against quivering lips.

“All I have ever wanted is you, your open arms filled with love,” Harry spoke with a surety formed over years of anguish.

Severus stood, lifting Harry’s larger frame in his arms. It was not without difficulty, but the amused smile on Harry’s face made it worth it. 

“Bedroom?” Severus quired.

“Down the hall, second door to the right,” Harry replied while trying not to chuckle. He would let Severus manhandle him if it meant he could be close to this man. Harry dragged in more of the scent that had long been banished to a mere hint of a memory.

Severus walked into the bedroom and smiled, it was simple, yet perfect. Crisp white linens on an oak log bed. The rest of the furniture fits the simple rustic feel. His eyes caught, and his breath hitched as he saw the beautifully intricate carvings etched into each pole and the headboard. There were detailed carvings of snakes and lions in various reposes. “Wow” was all that escaped the lips of the once Snarky Potions master.

Harry looked at what caught Severus’ attention and smirked.

“You can admire my furniture later…” Harry said as he reached to pull the man’s head down to his.

Severus was refocused back on the most incredible lips and the wonder of what the evening would entail. He stood next to the bed and slowly dropped Harry’s legs to the floor. He let his hands feel the body under the clothing. Soon his hands were plucking the buttons off the warm red and white plaid shirt one by one. He groaned into Harry’s mouth when he felt the second layer of a cotton tee… he helped Harry shrug out of the first shirt then broke the kiss to allow Harry to tug the tee over his head. He let his hand glide over the pale flesh. The slip of his fingers over soft hair pushed him to nip more playfully at Harry’s lips until he pulled a harsher gasp from his lover. Harry’s hand quickly made good work of his zip-up shell and tossed it away to another place in the room. 

Shaking fingers seemed to reverently loosen each button of his white shirt, Severus waited with bated breath as his full torso was exposed.

Harry's green eyes seemed to devour his flesh from just an inch away. He did not see the revulsion that his scars normally produced reflected in that emerald gaze. Instead, he found appreciation, sorrow, love, and desire. He groaned as anticipation licked up his veins. He flinched a little as those hands he had dreamed of came to a shaky halt on his chest. Harry's breath was close now, hot and fast. He could not look like Harry's mouth descended upon his flesh. He would explode right there from the fire Harry was creating. That tongue was hot and sweet. It swirled over his skin and then his eyes snapped open as pleasure shot through him like a lightning bolt as his nipple was bit softly.

"Harry..."He whispered.

Green eyes looked up at him as Harry slid down slowly to his knees, ripping an almost howl of a moan from his throat. 

Harry was completely lost in sensation, the scent and taste of Severus was like a drug, he was slowly becoming addicted. As he sank to his knees, the large trouser covered bulge made his mouth water. He moved to rub his face over the hardness, he drank in the musk and citrus scent that was Severus. He was dizzy, his eyes could not function properly as all he could see was a haze through his fogged up glasses...Which he promptly tossed with a grunt. His hands slowly undid Severus' trousers and his own cock jumped as each deep baritone moan struck him. Once the taller man was completely nude, He let his hands touch The prize before him. 

His fingers touched the silk of skin and the hardness of wanting... He looked up, loving the pure bliss written across his lover's face. He let his tongue sneak out just a little, and brought the purple tip to it. The salty flavor and something indescribable hit his tongue and he let his mouth fall open as much as he could.

"Harry... I want more than this... Please," Severus begged. 

Harry stood, shucked the rest of his clothes and starred back at Severus.

"I've waited for you. Make my body yours... you already have my heart and soul... " Harry whispered as he laid on the bed extending his hands.

Severus took them and entwined his fingers as he slid over the shorter man, and gasped when their bodies fit together. Severus whispered a quick succession of spells and started stroking their cocks together while he waited for the spells to do their job.

Harry gasped as he felt the press of Severus' skin to his own and moaned even more with every stroke against his flesh that was made. His pleasure was ratcheted up a notch when the spells stretched him and he felt the lubrication fully prepare him. When Severus moved and slowly entered him, he was in a heavenly bliss... There was no pain, only a feeling of finally being complete and filled.

Severus had to hold onto his release as he entered Harry. Everything was just perfect, the tight heat was trying to wring his pleasure from him. He started slowly, gaining a rhythm of stroking in and out of Harry's tightness... He leaned down, wanting to feel everything and took Harry's open lips in a sensuous kiss. Inside him, the pleasure was excruciating, almost blinding. He increased his speed when he felt Harry's release between them as he drank in Harry's cries... The tightening was his undoing...His release roared through him and darkness took them both.

Harry woke to the warmth of Severus' body holding him. He sighed, everything was perfect, Severus held him and he had never felt more love than he did in these arms.

**Author's Note:**

> I love comments and Kudos


End file.
